


Crown of Thorns

by Woongie



Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: Angel Yeo Hwanwoong, Gen, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Memory Loss, Sad Ending, Self-Harm, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:02:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woongie/pseuds/Woongie
Summary: Keonhee finds out Hwanwoong is suffering from Hanahaki disease, but fails to save him. That day, he loses more than just his best friend.
Relationships: Kim Geonhak | Leedo/Lee Seoho, Yeo Hwanwoong/???
Comments: 5
Kudos: 6





	Crown of Thorns

**Author's Note:**

> Things are probably rushed because I wrote this while experiencing a brain fart and minor writer's block

“We’re dating,” Geonhak announced, wrapping his arm around Seoho’s shoulders. 

Silence. 

“I knew it,” Dongju spoke up from his spot on the couch, grinning lazily as he hugged his plushie to his chest. “You and Seoho-hyung have been giving each other heart eyes for the longest time.”

Peace had settled in the room again as words of congratulations were given to the newly-announced couple. Keonhee, as always, was the loudest. Honestly, he was really happy for his friends. It was like watching a romance movie come to life, and Keonhee loved romance movies. He could never get enough of them. The pure love that comes from when two people get together, it had Keonhee in tears; and this was no exception. Keonhee knew he would probably be embarrassed later, but tears of happiness fell down his cheeks as he hugged Geonhak and Seoho at the same time.

All was well until Hwanwoong entered the room, coughing and wheezing as he used the wall as a crutch. His wings were trembling violently behind him, feathers falling in his wake as he stumbled towards the kitchen. Keonhee instinctively ran to the kitchen to fetch the angel a glass of water. It wasn’t the first time Keonhee had ran to the kitchen to get Hwanwoong some water. It had become like second nature to him. If the angel so much as coughed once, Keonhee was immediately running off. In a way, Keonhee felt like Hwanwoong’s angel. 

“Here,” Keonhee said, handing the water over. Hwanwoong gulped the water down, Adam’s apple bobbing away until he finished the whole cup. Hwanwoong smiled weakly at the taller man before succumbing to another coughing fit. A quivering hand covered his mouth as Hwanwoong turned away, but Keonhee caught sight of something red in the dancer’s palm. When Hwanwoong pulled his hand away, his fist was clenched as if he was trying to hide something. Even though Keonhee had a big mouth, he knew when to keep quiet. 

“Are you okay?” Youngjo worriedly asked, craning his neck, so he could peer at the younger from his spot on the floor.

“Fine,” Hwanwoong replied, his voice hoarse. “Did something happen? It was loud out here.” A glimmer on his neck. Yeah, Hwanwoong was definitely hiding something. Keonhee’s been with the angel long enough to know when he was using his powers. He was going to have to confront Hwanwoong later, whether the latter liked it or not.

“You just missed it,” Dongju answered. “Seoho-hyung and Geonhak-hyung just announced they were dating now.” The couple always tended to blush really easily, their ears burning at Dongju’s admittance. 

“Is that so?” Hwanwoong questioned softly after a brief pause. His voice was devoid of any emotion. Pain seared through his palm where his fingers were trying to pierce the skin. He had to get away. It was suffocating.

“Love will only drive you to the brink of insanity.” Hwanwoong expected the weird looks he got from his friends. Of course, saying something so ominous was bound to yield such reactions. Hwanwoong only shrugged before leaving the room in a hurry. Seeing Geonhak and Seoho making it so painstakingly obvious that they were in love was sickening. 

Hwanwoong entered the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He knelt in front of the toilet, hurling up whatever he could. Memories from not even two minutes before had tears forming in his eyes. Even though Hwanwoong knew he was being petty by saying those mean words to Seoho and Geonhak, he wanted to be loved like that, too. Though, the person his heart yearned for couldn't return his feelings. Not anymore.

Thinking about his unrequited love had Hwanwoong heaving onto the floor. But instead of bile, aconites forced their way out. The purple flowers fell to the tiled floor, vibrant with burning hatred. Ichor dripped from his lips from the forced purge. Hwanwoong weakly gathered the flowers in his arms, dumping them into the trash.

The others knew Hwanwoong had started collecting flowers, so they never questioned why there were flowers in the trash.

The fools. 

-

“Is it just me, or has he been coughing a lot recently?” Youngjo quietly asked, worried eyes staring after their dancer. “I hope he’s resting well.” Everyone hummed in agreement, but Keonhee knew better. He’d seen the flowers growing on Hwanwoong’s body, only for him to rip them out. He’d seen Hwanwoong coughing up flower petals when he thought no one was looking.

The first time he’d seen them was purely accidental. Keonhee wanted to grab his favorite blanket from his bed when he saw Hwanwoong in the midst of changing. His upper back was abloom with circus roses. The fiery roses were absolutely breathtaking. They were like mini suns, and Keonhee wondered how Hwanwoong managed to hide them until now.

That was until Hwanwoong reached behind him, blindly grabbing a fistful of flowers and forcibly pulling them out. They came out as if one was trying to pull something from superglue. A sickening sound accompanied the flowers as they were ripped away, leaving behind open wounds and running ichor. It went on until all the flowers were plucked away, scattered all over the wooden flooring. 

It was when they made eye contact, Keonhee turned on his heel and scurried away. 

Neither of them spoke about it since then. 

After that incident, the times Keonhee had caught Hwanwoong became more frequent. 

And each time, the flowers were always different.

-

“Are you in love with Youngjo-hyung?” Keonhee whispered to Hwanwoong one day while they were sitting in the waiting room before their stage. “He has a colorful personality… and I don’t know who else it’d be if not him.” He didn’t expect for Hwanwoong to give him the cold shoulder for the next few days. On screen, Hwanwoong acted the way he always did: affectionate, clingy, and all smiles; but when they were alone, Hwanwoong avoided him as if he were the plague.

All the times Keonhee had tried to talk to Hwanwoong, the latter would excuse himself and hide. Keonhee couldn’t make heads or tails of the situation, but he assumed Hwanwoong’s answer was no, he wasn’t in love with Youngjo. 

“Just who is it?” Keonhee mumbled beneath his breath. If it wasn’t Youngjo, was it perhaps Geonhak or Seoho? Keonhee prayed that it was neither of them. It’s possible that Dongju might be the one. The two were always clingy with each other and were always glued at the hips, but they were more like sassy, demonic siblings than anything. That leaves only him left. Hwanwoong liking him? Impossible, right? 

“Who’s what?” a voice asked next to him. Keonhee jumped, knocking his shoulder into Dongju’s chin. The maknae fell backwards on his back as Keonhee towered above him.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry! Are you okay, Dongju-ya?” Keonhee nearly yelled, inspecting the younger all over for any injuries. Luckily, he didn’t hit him too hard so no visible bruise would form. Dongju only laughed it off before pulling a prank on Keonhee later that day for revenge.

It took three days for Hwanwoong to start talking to him again, and Keonhee was glad it didn’t take longer or he was going to have to forcibly make them reconcile.

Hwanwoong had crawled into Keonhee’s bed late at night, slipping under the covers and snuggling into the latter’s chest. Keonhee, barely on the cusp of waking, silently welcomed the angel by throwing his arm over the other’s waist. He could feel the garden of lobelias on Hwanwoong’s naked back. Hatred and spite, huh? 

Keonhee fell asleep before any other thoughts could disrupt his dreams, ignorant of Hwanwoong's confession. 

Days passed, and Keonhee could tell Hwanwoong wouldn’t last much longer. He’s been sluggish during practice as if his body couldn’t keep up with his movements, and Keonhee was internally panicking. Hwanwoong wouldn’t tell him who was causing him all this pain no matter how much Keonhee tried to pry.

-

Hwanwoong had been quiet as of late, making everyone silently worry. The bags under the angel’s eye seem to be growing darker each night, and Keonhee knew why. It’s been taking Hwanwoong longer and longer for him to deflower his body to avoid being interrogated.

As if sensing something was about to happen, Hwanwoong abruptly stood up and excused himself. 

Keonhee trailed after Hwanwoong to the bedroom after hearing the door slam shut. Knocking on the door, Keonhee asked, “Are you okay in there? Do you want me to build you a snowman?”

“Go away!” Came the vexed reply. Well, that was uncalled for. Fed up with Hwanwoong’s antics, Keonhee tried the doorknob. It was surprisingly unlocked. Pushing open the door, Keonhee gasped. Hwanwoong was leaning against the wall, dimly illuminated by the moonlight. A kaleidoscope of various flowers encircled the angel, wrapping around his body and wings. His wings… they were slowly deteriorating into nothingness.

His once glowing halo had turned into a crown of thorns - sharp and cruel looking. Ichor dripped from the ends, coating Hwanwoong’s hair gold. The golden fluid dripped down his face like sap, joining the mix of asphodels and black roses that had pierced through his heart. 

“I’m pathetic, aren’t I? I can’t even love myself,” Hwanwoong spat, twilight-coloured petals tumbling out in a flurry. They settled on the floor amongst the countless others. “I was a fool to think I’d be okay.” 

“Don’t say that! You have us… We love you!” Keonhee tried to argue, fully aware it was futile, but he’d feel guilty if he didn’t at least try.

“You don’t understand, Keonhee,” Hwanwoong muttered. His vision was narrowing, and he knew he didn’t have much longer. Thank God. “These flowers… I’ve grown them for myself. I love myself, but I can’t return that love because I could never love in the first place.” His head thumped against the wall as he stared at the ceiling. Yeah, Yeo Hwanwoong was a narcissist. 

Keonhee was downright crying, unable to stop himself from wailing out in anguish as he watched helplessly as his best friend disappeared before his very eyes. His wings were already gone, leaving behind a broken boy without a heart. Yet, he too, would eventually vanish. Keonhee knew that everyone who was acquainted with the angel was going to forget about him in due time, and Keonhee didn’t want to forget. 

“Farewell, my fidus Achates.” The last of the angel’s body disintegrated, his smile fading away into thin air. Keonhee never sobbed so hard in his life; not when debuting; not on his birthdays; and not even when he saw his mom for the first time in a while. No, this was completely different. The anguish Keonhee felt had turned his world upside down. 

The following days, everyone started to forget about him. Dongju was first - the memories of his partner in crime fading away in the middle of the night. Youngjo tried to stay awake, to prevent himself from forgetting, but ultimately, sleep consumed his memories. Seoho and Geonhak managed to remember Hwanwoong for a little longer, but he too, drifted from their minds. Keonhee was last. He had written down everything he knew about Hwanwoong on sticky notes, plastering them around his room to help himself remember. But as time passed, the sticky notes became insignificant no matter how many times Keonhee read over them, and he eventually threw them away. 

Life went on. Some nights Keonhee would dream of an indistinct, yet familiar, face. Though, whenever he tried to focus on the image, it’d elude him and leave him feeling empty. His mind had been in a turmoil of trying to figure out who he kept seeing, but whenever he came close, a haze would settle over his eyes and he’d forget about everything. 

But Keonhee knew one thing that was undoubtedly true: 

He had been growing tiger lilies in his chest since the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Have a good day/night (-=-)7
> 
> According to Google: fidus Achates - a faithful friend


End file.
